Wednesday, April 29, 2009

An interview with Stargate: Atlantis writer Martin Gero is one of the highlights of the latest issue of Stargate Magazine, which looks back at five memorable seasons of the show over 100 pages. Here, Gero reminisces on the very early days:

“Brotherhood was the first one where it was my idea and I had to go figure it out. It was phenomenally complex. They all laughed because they knew how difficult it would be. I was young, stupid, and had a lot of time on my hands.”

Plus, we look to the future with all the latest buzz on Stargate Universe – check out below for all the details.

Stargate: SG-1: HydraSubscribe to Stargate Magazine and receive a new Stargate novel from Fandemonium Books. Stargate SG1: Hydra sees a dying Daniel Jackson at the SGC begging for help, but Colonel O’Neill senses trouble afoot – this is not the Daniel Jackson he knows…

Please note that there only limited copies of the novel available on a first-come-first-served basis.*

FEATURES

Bold New Directions: Stargate Universe

The latest Stargate spin-off, Stargate Universe – set to launch on the SCI FI Channel this fall – is now in production. In the latest issue of Stargate Magazine, we present a Beginner’s Guide to everything we know so far about the new show, from the concept to the cast. Co-producer Brad Wright explains the show’s genesis: “It has to feel like Stargate and it has to feel new. That’s the balance you have to maintain, and that’s the challenge. To put it in the simplest terms, if we had ever just done SG-2 as a series it would never have worked. It’s not the CSI model.”

Man of Many Worlds: Ryan Robbins

We talk to one of the most in-demand faces in sci-fi in the latest issue of Stargate Magazine – Ryan Robbins, the actor behind Stargate: Atlantis’ Ladon Radim and Sanctuary’s very different Henry Foss. He tells us about Ladon’s brush with death, and reveals why he will be forever grateful to director Martin Wood. Plus, we spend some time with the legendary Robert Davi. The actor behind John Sheppard’s nemesis, Genii menace Acastus Kolya, talks bad guys, song and dance routines, and The Goonies.

Virtually Possible: Mark Savela

We continue to take you behind-the-scenes on the final unforgettable season of Stargate: Atlantis in the latest issue. Visual effects genius Mark Savela completes his season five highlights in his own words, talking us through the challenges and achievements of Remnants through to Enemy at the Gate. Plus, if you’ve ever wondered what goes in to creating a Wraith, or aging Joe Flanigan, you’ll find the answers in the latest issue. Todd Masters, the physical effects mastermind of the whole Stargate franchise, reveals the tricks of his trade.

ISSUE SPOTLIGHT

Fantastic Journey

After 100 episodes over five seasons, and more fantastic moments than we can count, Stargate: Atlantis has seen its last credits roll. In the latest issue, the cast and crew of the show join us as we take a look back at the journey from SG-1 spin-off to 100 episodes – and some of those brilliant moments in between.

EXCLUSIVE EXTRAS

Advanced Telemetry

All the latest news from the worlds of Stargate.

Stargate Fiction: By Way of the Stars

Check out the first part of a dramatic trilogy featuring SG-1, by Suzanne Wood.Top 10 episodes

It was not easy, but we’ve made our choice of ten of the very finest Stargate: Atlantis episodes to grace our screens.

Classic Episode: Beast of Burden

A detailed look back at the season five episode in which Jack and Daniel free the Unas from slavery.

Zalenka’s Journal

Peer inside the mind of one of Atlantis’ greatest scientists, Dr Radek Zalenka.

Words cannot quite describe the look on forensic psychiatrist Dr. Will Zimmerman’s face as he follows Dr. Helen Magnus out of a dark passage and into the central hub of a place called the Sanctuary. The circular room extends hundreds of feet into the air and has multiple levels with numerous cubicles, each of which is home to a very special occupant. With a feeling of trepidation as well as curiosity, Will follows Magnus as she gives him a closer look at her guests. Could his mind be playing tricks on him? From a beautiful mermaid to a reptilian creature and even a man with two faces, Will is understandably overwhelmed by what he is seeing.

“How many…more are there?” he asks Magnus.

“Many,” she says, smiling, and leads Will away to continue his tour.

“Cut! That’s great,” enthuses director Martin Wood. “Let’s do it one more time, only from a different angle.”

Those who saw the Internet Sci-Fi series Sanctuary will remember the above exchange from the show’s two-hour web pilot. In May 2008, this sequence was among those that were re-shot for the TV version of the show, which completed airing its 13-episode first season back in January on the Sci Fi Channel. In it, actor Robin Dunne plays Dr. Will Zimmerman, who is chosen by the brilliant and beautiful Dr. Helen Magnus (Amanda Tapping) as her new protege. Together with Helen’s daughter Ashley (Emilie Ullerup), they find, protect and offer refuge to the many strange, and sometimes dangerous, creatures walking this planet. As with the Internet version, the TV adaptation requires its cast to act against mostly virtual or “green screen” sets, which has taken some getting used to for Dunne.

“It’s great to work on green screen because the possibilities are endless,” says Dunne, taking a breather while the cameras are being repositioned for a new shot. “You can do anything, you can create any type of creature or setting, so it’s amazing. It’s also not difficult to act in this sort of environment because I have the privilege of working with such a talented company of actors. The thing that I did have to get the hang of was the dimensions of space. We do a lot of stuff where we’re running through the Sanctuary and turning corners, and every now and then while filming the Internet pilot, Martin [Wood] would call, ‘Cut,’ and then say, ‘Hey, Robin that was terrific, but you just ran through a wall.’ And I’d be like, ‘OK, what are the dimensions here?’ and they’d put green tape down on top of the green floor to mark off the boundaries. So there were things like that to get used to, but once I did, it was really exciting because with every new script that came out, you never knew where your character was going to end up and what we were going to do.”

NOTE: Sanctuary season two premieres on SciFi Channel (or Syfy) Fall of '09.

(Please follow the link for the complete blog update and to view the two new photos, one including Michael Shanks, and the other of Justin Louis and director Peter DeLuise on the Destiny set in their original format.)

No - YOU! Michael Shanks back in familiar surroundings.

April 29, 2009: Simul-posting, Stargate, and the SyFy Slant.

... Today’s mailbag:

... Major D. Davis writes: “1. Will water’s events include young and Scott being stranded somewhere together?2. Will sgu still have the normal dose of stargate action?3. Will Martin Wood be directing universe anytime soon?4 Will there be any crossover races in universe?5. Have you read Fahrenheit 451 yet? If you did did you like it?6. Which SGU character are you most interested in so far?”

Answers: 1. Sounds great. I can’t wait to see if this plays out when the episode airs.2. Yep. Action, adventure, humor, pathos, gravitas, veritas, demi-tasse.3. Nope. He’s busy on Sanctuary.4. No plans to have any crossover races in the new show.5. I have. I preferred The Martian Chronicles.6. Like any right-minded parent who is asked to choose between their beloved children, I would say that the intensity of my love and order of favorites varies from day to day, dependent upon the show material we happen to be shooting, watching, or reading.

... Ascended Tauri writes: “How much has Mr. Scalzi been contributing the Universe progress? Has he stopped back in Vancouver since he was there originally?”

Answer: While he hasn’t been back in Vancouver, John has been reading and supplying notes on all the scripts to date.

... Narcissus writes: “The Vancouver Set Tour 2009 included a visit to the set of the U.S.S. General Hammond, does that mean it’ll make an appearance in Stargate Universe?”

Answer: It’ll certainly be making an appearance somewhere.

... Angelus writes: “It’s been said SG-U is going to be filmed like a sort of documentary. (Cloverfield style). My question is, Does that mean we’ll get lots of shaking and out of focus camera shots like what was done in the Cloverfield movie?”

Answer: No. In fact, I believe Rob made it a point of stressing that we won’t be doing a lot of shaky cam.

Just as Star Trek has reinvented itself over the years, so has George Takei. The actor is obviously best known to Trekkers for his iconic portrayal of helmsman Hikaru Sulu in the original series of Star Trek (and subsequent movies), but he won new admirers with his role as Hiro’s father Kaito Nakamura in Heroes and even more fans with his unforgettable turn in I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here! With the Original Series and the first six movies out now on Blu-ray and Alternate Realities out on DVD, Takei talks to Matt McAllister about the eternal appeal of the show.

A brief excerpt:

It was a very optimistic show in many ways…

Oh yes. The 1960s was a dreadfully turbulent time for the United States racially, and racial conflicts were bursting out in the form of race riots in our major cities. I, as an Angeleno, I still remember the terror of the Watts riots in 1965. And at that time Star Trek had not only a multi-racial cast but also an inter-racial kiss between a black woman, Uhuru, and a white man, Kirk. Now, 40 years later, we have an enormously popular black president of the United States. What was hopeful back in the 1960s has become a powerful reality today! And thus Star Trek still remains very relevant.

I think it’s that human spirit of wanting to see a glimmer of hope – something President Obama is talking about in our current economic turmoil. That hope is essential. We need to have confidence in our ability to overcome challenges. I think it’s that core philosophy and those core values that has helped to maintain Star Trek’s popularity.

Terms: Includes: 2 tickets to SNL in NYC on May 9th, 2009. Winner may bring any guest they like (does not have to be your mother). Show date is non-transferable. Also will include a photo from SNL autographed by Justin Timberlake. This package does not include airfare, transportation or accommodations.

Former Stargate SG-1 star Michael Shanks told SCI FI Wire that he's busy with a wide variety of projects, including a dramatic TV movie, a pilot with Donald Sutherland and Jacqueline Bisset and, of course, a Stargate adventure.

Shanks spoke exclusively with SCI FI Wire last week about his slate; following is an edited version of that interview. Stargate Universe debuts with a two-hour premiere in October on SCI FI. (Spoilers ahead!)

A brief excerpt:

Your latest TV movie is Living Out Loud, which will air May 2 on the Hallmark Channel. That sounds like a major departure for you. Give us the set-up and a sense of your character.

Shanks: The story is about a family, or more specifically a woman played by Gail O'Grady. She's a music teacher, and I play her husband, and one day she wakes up to find that she has breast cancer. Obviously, there are ramifications for her and her husband and their two kids. There's a paradigm shift in her life and in the family's life that her illness causes, and it's all about how a catalyst can cause change in people's lives for the better. I don't want to call it a feel-good cancer movie, but it is a feel-good cancer movie that teaches the characters to live life for life's worth and to not go through the motions anymore. It's a touching story.

[NOTE: 'Living out Loud' will be repeated Friday, May 8 at 9:00PM and Sunday, May 17 at 9:00PM on The Hallmark Channel.]

Hathor, a Goa'uld who has taken on the persona of a powerful Egyptian goddess, has charmed the men of Stargate Command to do her bidding. It's now up to Carter and a handful of women to stop her from taking over the world.

* Hathor was imprisoned in stasis for almost 2000 years in a sarcophagus recovered from the Mayan Temple of the Inscriptions in Palenque, Mexico.

* According to the Book of the Dead, Hathor was a much loved Egyptian goddess of fertility, inebriety and music, both the daughter and wife of Ra, and a friend of humanity. She was sent by Ra to destroy mankind, but when he changed his mind she became an enemy of Ra and Aphophis.

* Hathor is related in mythology to Aphrodite of Greece, Ishtar of Babylon, Stargae of Syria, Ceres of Rome.

* Hathor is the Queen of the Gods, the "Mother of All Pharoahs (Gods)", she and others like her produce the larval Goa'ulds. She must have the "code of life" (DNA) from the species intended as the host to ensure compatibility.

* Hathor produces a chemical similar to a super pheromone combined with sodium pentathol that gives her control over men.

* Colonel O'Neill is Special Forces trained to fight mind control techniques.

Michael plays the husband of Gail O'Grady in Living Out Loud which deals with Breast Cancer and the effects on a family. Michael also chats up any new Stargate movies and looks back on the first two. He even looks ahead to Stargate Universe. Music is by Vincent Leeds. Special thanks to Feldman of Hallmark Channel. Visit the official site.